Meat 40 Years Old is Not My Idea of an Aged Steak

I magine meat from the 1970s — which had been thawed and re-frozen multiple times over the years — reaching your plate at the dinner table.

Although highly unlikely, that is what could have happened if you dined in China and authorities in that country had not seized greater than 100,000 tonnes of smuggled meat, according to this article from BBC News; and meat 40 years old is not my idea of an aged steak.

“It was smelly and I nearly threw up when I opened the door,” an official from Hunan province reportedly said.

The meat may have been “smuggled into China via neighbouring Hong Kong and Vietnam, from countries such as Brazil and India, to sidestep import restrictions.”

Although this is an egregious example of the dangers of food consumption in countries other than the one in which you reside, this is an important reminder to be careful about what you eat — and where you eat — while traveling.

Here are some simple tips related to this article which you may want to consider:

Ensure that meat is cooked as thoroughly as possible

Avoid prepared foods — such as cooked meat — which have been left unrefrigerated for a few hours

Check the reputations, recommendations and reviews of dining establishments before patronizing them

Inspect the facility before deciding whether or not to purchase food from it — especially street vendors and open-air markets